Worried about this XL bully

[brookie26]

We often park our car the back of our house rather than the front as we live on a busy lane. This means our back door is basically our front and we leave through the back majority of the time.

Anyway, today I was leaving my house to pick DC up. There are 2 women walking with an XL bully off the lead. The dog wasn't displaying any aggressive behaviour but I was still really cautious and got in my car quickly.

It turns out the dog lives on the street behind us as it entered via a back gate a few doors down at the bottom of our backstreet.

What worries me is the fact I have a 4 year old who will often run off as soon as we leave the house. I'm forever telling him not to run off in case of cars coming etc but he doesn't listen. I would hate for us to be leaving the house and the dog be there again, off the lead.

Am I worrying about nothing here?

Thank you for answering my question @brookie26
You can't be sure of the breed.
You can't be sure any dog at any time anywhere won't bite your child, whether it's on a lead, behind a gate or running around a park.
Especially if YOU do not have control of your CHILD who by your own admission is a runner then I do believe you have far bigger problems.

Fucking hell talk about fear mongering! Op doesn't even know what breed it is plus her son might will be under a car before the dog can catch up with him anyway...

No, not unreasonable. All it takes is for something to spook it - as for any breed!
i honestly don't understand why people need to walk dogs off leads on public pathways, what difference does it make? Its pure laziness of having to “hold a lead”
my neighbour has a bully, they dont put it on the lead in our communal corridor. Its growled and lunged at me and my toddler a few times but they see no issue, was reported and i got threats for it - typical chav owners like this with these dogs that are the issue.
i cant wait for the ban personally just so we feel safe. I feel bad for all good owners, they are ruining it.

You are extremely wise to be cautious.
Experienced dog trainers say these are red zone and extremely triggered dogs with an insane prey drive.
A small child running past could easily trigger one.

I'd report to local dog warden, and absolutely let it be known it was off lead.

Our local Dog warden says they are causing a ''significant problem'' - much more so than other types of dog due to their strength and unstoppable nature once they do attack.

This.

I think you’re being unreasonable.

Yes, the problem is the owner of the dangerous dog. And if the dog bites your child, the owner will be prosecuted and the dog put down.

But it's your child who will be hurt. So, you need to protect him by having reins, wrist strap or anything you can. It's dangerous for him to run off. That's all there is to it - you have to control him because you live in a place where he could be hurt.

It's not unreasonable to be somewhat concerned about any large, muscular dog walking off-lead. You simply have no way of knowing what a random dog will do. Most people who are attacked by their own dog or a dog they know never saw it coming, so why would the rest of us feel confident predicting the behaviour of any given dog, particularly a dog with an intimidating, powerful build?

Most likely nothing will ever happen with this dog, but it's wise to do what you can to avoid it. You'll have to be the one to take the necessary precautions to protect your son from uncontrolled dogs, cars on the road, etc.

Sounds like you need to put your kid on a leash a 4 year old running off that's disgusting. You seriously have a issue with a dog that's obviously very well trained and looked after being off a lead. Your feeling your 4 year old about traffic ect oh my god look after your kid 🤣

Some of these comments just beggar belief. XL Bullies are to be banned early next year. These dogs are extremely strong, have often been bred for aggression and have attacked and killed adult men. Don't let your child anywhere near one, and no, you are not being unreasonable and no-one should be making you feel bad for worrying. If I see one of these dogs I don't just cross the road, I get right out of the area. Just as I would if I saw a tiger on the street. (And before anyone asks, I like most dogs)

You need to address both issues. 1. Report the dog - it should be on a lead. 2. It is your responsibility to make sure your child does not run off. Hold his hand very firmly or put him in reins. If he hates the reins, then he has to hold your hand - it’s one or the other, he needs to understand. He needs to know you are in charge.

What worries me is the fact I have a 4 year old who will often run off as soon as we leave the house. I'm forever telling him not to run off in case of cars coming etc but he doesn't listen. I would hate for us to be leaving the house and the dog be there again, off the lead

The dog isn't the problem here, you are. Hold your kids hand otherwise he's going to end up under a car.

“The dog isn't the problem here, you are. Hold your kids hand otherwise he's going to end up under a car.”

Jesus, the comments on here 🤢

It's true. Let your kid run off, and there's worse things that can happen than a random dog looking at him.

@Girlsjustwannahavefundamentalrights people are aware of dangers, but this thread is about a powerful, off lead dog and no amount of hand holding would help the situation if it decided to take a run at the op and/or her child.

I really don't understand where there's even a debate here, keep your fucking dog on a lead. Especially massive, aggressive breeds that have been all over the news for mauling people lately. It's really not difficult.

I hate xl bullies as much as the next person, but the op has a responsibility to keep her child safe. She's focusing on the wrong danger here. The danger is that she's allowing her offspring to run off near a road. That's way more dangerous than this dog, who so far hasn't done anything other than mind his own business. She can't just let her child run off, and shrug and say "well he won't do as he's told".

@Girlsjustwannahavefundamentalrights she's addressed this in multiple replies. And it's not really the main point of the post is it? The post is about xl bullies.

Totally unreasonable - the dog did not even acknowledge you and was under control. You are afraid of dogs, I am afraid of heights. I don't demand all structures are at a certain height.

I would worry more about you letting your 4 year old be out of control in the vicinity of cars.

Hold his hand? Hes more likely to get run over than a dog attack. Both those things are on you when you havent done your due diligence to keep him safe.

I mean - I would be worried as I have had experience of an attack - but that’s me and that’s my own experience. I think all dogs should be on a lead tho (I have dogs myself).

Responsible parenting would be making sure your son doesnr run off into danger. My nephew has severe autism and has no sense of danger, always running into the road, always throwing himself off things, and my brother has to keep a strong hold of him, or use reins. You say you cant see the point in a harness/reins but surely this post is the point. Yes in an ideal world dogs would be on leads and muzzled but that's not always going to happen, hence the new law coming in. It's upto you to keep him safe.

The dog , as per U.K. guidelines should be kept on a lead . As a responsible owner I keep my dog on a lead unless we are in a dog park or forest etc .unfortunately there are always some that don’t care . That being said ( and I understand your worries if you have a small child as I do also, I do think that they are over exaggerating the number of dog attacks in the media , there was one the other day in the paper that actually happened in 2017 but was being made to look as though it was recent. You said this is a dangerous dog, it didn’t harm anybody , but the media will have us believe that any dog that resembles a bull breed is dangerous. Having worked in a dog rescue I can tell you this is not the case . The owner is the irresponsible one here not the dog.

As above

So your plan is to not educate your son about road safety, and also not take any precautions such as using reins?? THIS is a bigger issue

Hmmm, a lot of people defending the actions of the dog owner when it clearly states in the Highway Code (rule 56) that dogs should be on lead on public highways.

A 'busy lane' as the OP claims, would come under that.

I love dogs, & for their own safety, never mind any else's, they need to be on a lead, & I don't care what breed it is or how well trained it may (or in too many cases, not) be.